UK government drops plan to delay 30 council elections after legal challenge
UK government drops plan to delay 30 council elections after legal challenge
The government abandons plans to delay 30 English council elections after Reform UK's legal challenge, confirming May 2026 polls will go ahead with extra funding for affected areas.
The government has withdrawn plans to delay 30 English council elections after advice suggested the move could be unlawful. Local Government Secretary Steve Reed had approved postponements to 2027, arguing costs tied to a wide-scale local government reorganisation. The delays were set to be tested in the High Court after Reform UK launched a legal challenge against the move. In a fresh letter to council leaders, Reed confirmed the original decision would be withdrawn and that elections should proceed in May 2026. The housing minister, who was not involved in the initial decision, was asked to reconsider the position on an urgent basis given pressing timescales. The government also said it would provide an additional £63m to the 21 areas affected by the reorganisation.
Reform UK welcomed the U-turn, with leader Nigel Farage saying the party had stood up for democracy and that 4.6 million people would have been prevented from voting on May 7th if the delay had stood. He asserted that the decision showed the government’s actions were unlawful. The government will pay Reform UK’s legal costs related to the proceedings, which a party source said would be at least £100,000.
The decision comes as England undergoes a major reorganisation that will see some authorities abolished or merged. The government’s move to abandon the delays is intended to safeguard democratic participation while signalling continued support for the costs of running elections during the transition period.
